STURGIS, S.D. – The Sturgis City Council passed first reading of a revised ordinance Monday night that will amend the city code regarding municipal elections, council officers, vacancies, special elections and runoff elections.

This is due to recent changes to South Dakota law that required municipalities to hold their elections in either June during the primary or November, during the general election cycle.

Sturgis City Attorney Eric Davis says the proposed ordinance will establish June as the city’s regular municipal election month and will update related provisions regarding election of Council President and Vice President, vacancies and special elections. He says these amendments are intended to align the city code with current state law.

The council decided not to include a proposed run-off election policy change in the ordinance that is not required for state-law conformity. Davis says state law authorizes, but does not require, municipalities to adopt runoff elections in races involving three or more candidates where no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast. The council did not want to adopt that provision as part of the ordinance.